Nursing School: Easier or Harder?

SCmomof3, RN · Mar 28, 2005

Neat thread. It's interesting to see people's viewpoints on this. I don't start til August.

JudithL_in_NH · Mar 28, 2005

.......than you imagined and/or were told??? How did your expectations differ from what became reality? (crouching, because I don't know if I really want to know this going into school in July:uhoh21: )

Not harder per se, but this is definitely the most stressful educational experience I've ever had (have a previous BA and halfway to an MA).

As others have said, the volume of material to be covered in a very short period of time is challenging, especially along with family responsibilities. And clinical does seem to be designed to wear you down: hours prepping, hours on-site, then hours doing the paperwork. From Monday evening through Thursday noon (preplan Monday night, clinical Tuesday and Wednesday, then paperwork due at noon on Thursday)--I am just exhausted.

WhatToDo · Mar 28, 2005

Intersting thread, I start in June. I too have heard the horror stories, so I have no idea what to expect. I wish I could think that my nursing program will not be harder than my pre-reqs were, but I took my pre-reqs at a community college and I'm going to a nursing program that has a great reputation, so I imagine it will be a lot harder.

My past experience with this sort of thing is that it is never as hard as you think it might be. When I took my pre-reqs, the teachers and certain students that were taking the class again really freaked me out. When I went to graduate school the professors and graduate students scared the crap out of me too, but graduate school was manageable.

I think nursing school will be totally different than anything I've ever done, so I'm still pretty nervous.

LauraLou · Mar 28, 2005

I agree with the other posters, it is the volume of work that makes nursing school difficult.

What I found most stressful was skills lab. I dreaded the skills checkoffs. The pressure of possibly failing out of the program each time we had a checkoff made me nuts. I'm now in my 3rd semester and we no longer have skills lab and I am much less stressed.

The first few tests are difficult. You go from tests where there is clearly one correct answer (A&P, Micro) to tests where all the of answers can be correct but one is most correct. Once you get used to these types of questions, it gets easier.

The best thing I did was get a nurse tech job after my 1st semester. I have learned much more at work than I have in clinical. I am much more confident with patients and understand what it is really like to work at a hospital. I honestly believe I am better off getting Bs in school and working part-time as a tech, than I would be getting As and not working. I haven't always enjoyed being a tech, but it has been an incredible learning experience.

Good luck!